| rank and file | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the ordinary soldiers of an army, excluding the officers |
| 2. | the great mass or majority of any group or organization, as opposed to the leadership |
| 3. | (modifier) of, relating to, or characteristic of the rank and file: rank-and-file opinion; rank-and-file support |
| rank and filer | |
| —n | |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
The people who form the major portion of any group or organization, excluding the leaders: “The rumors of corruption at the top disturbed the party's rank and file.” This phrase comes from military usage, where enlisted men march in ranks (close abreast) and files (one behind another), whereas officers march outside these formations.
rank and file definition
|